Article of footwear incorporating floating tensile strands

ABSTRACT

An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes at least two layers and a plurality of strands. The two layers extend from a lace region of the upper to a lower region of the upper. The strands are located between the two layers and the strands extend from the lace region to the lower region. Additionally, the strands are unsecured to the layers for a distance of at least five centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region. The two layers may be secured to each other at portions located between the strands.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/100,111, entitled “Article Of Footwear Incorporating Floating TensileStrands”, filed on Dec. 9, 2013, and allowed on Sep. 15, 2015, whichapplication is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/847,860, entitled “Article Of Footwear Incorporating Floating TensileStrands”, filed on Jul. 30, 2010, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,631,589on Jan. 21, 2014, the disclosures of which applications are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Articles of footwear generally include two primary elements: an upperand a sole structure. The upper is often formed from a plurality ofmaterial elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheet layers, foam layers,leather, synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bondedtogether to form a void on the interior of the footwear for comfortablyand securely receiving a foot. More particularly, the upper forms astructure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, alongmedial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of thefoot. The upper may also incorporate a lacing system to adjust fit ofthe footwear, as well as permitting entry and removal of the foot fromthe void within the upper. In addition, the upper may include a tonguethat extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability andcomfort of the footwear, and the upper may incorporate a heel counter.

The various material elements forming the upper impart specificproperties to different areas of the upper. For example, textileelements may provide breathability and may absorb moisture from thefoot, foam layers may compress to impart comfort, and leather may impartdurability and wear-resistance. As the number of material elementsincreases, the overall mass of the footwear may increase proportionally.The time and expense associated with transporting, stocking, cutting,and joining the material elements may also increase. Additionally, wastematerial from cutting and stitching processes may accumulate to agreater degree as the number of material elements incorporated into anupper increases. Moreover, products with a greater number of materialelements may be more difficult to recycle than products formed fromfewer material elements. By decreasing the number of material elements,therefore, the mass of the footwear and waste may be decreased, whileincreasing manufacturing efficiency and recyclability.

The sole structure is secured to a lower portion of the upper so as tobe positioned between the foot and the ground. In athletic footwear, forexample, the sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole. Themidsole may be formed from a polymer foam material that attenuatesground reaction forces (i.e., provides cushioning) during walking,running, and other ambulatory activities. The midsole may also includefluid-filled chambers, plates, moderators, or other elements thatfurther attenuate forces, enhance stability, or influence the motions ofthe foot, for example. The outsole forms a ground-contacting element ofthe footwear and is usually fashioned from a durable and wear-resistantrubber material that includes texturing to impart traction. The solestructure may also include a sockliner positioned within the upper andproximal a lower surface of the foot to enhance footwear comfort.

SUMMARY

An article of footwear is disclosed below as having an upper and a solestructure secured to the upper. The upper includes at least one layerand a plurality of strands. The layer extends from a lace region of theupper to a lower region of the upper. The strands are located adjacentto the layer and in contact with the layer, and the strands extend fromthe lace region to the lower region. Additionally, the strands areunsecured to the layer for a distance of at least five centimeters in anarea between the lace region and the lower region.

The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of theinvention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. Togain an improved understanding of the advantages and features ofnovelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptivematter and accompanying figures that describe and illustrate variousconfigurations and concepts related to the invention.

FIGURE DESCRIPTIONS

The foregoing Summary and the following Detailed Description will bebetter understood when read in conjunction with the accompanyingfigures.

FIG. 1 is a lateral side elevational view of an article of footwear.

FIG. 2 is a medial side elevational view of the article of footwear.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the article of footwear, as definedby section line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a lateral side elevational view of the article of footwear ina flexed configuration.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a tensile strand element utilized in an upperof the article of footwear.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the tensile strand element,as defined in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the portion of the tensilestrand element.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a cross-sectional views of the portion of thetensile strand element, as defined by section lines 8A and 8B in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 9A-9J are lateral side elevational views corresponding with FIG. 1and depicting further configurations of the article of footwear.

FIGS. 10A-10D are cross-sectional views corresponding with FIG. 3 anddepicting further configurations of the article of footwear.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a tensile element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose an article offootwear having an upper that includes tensile strand elements. Thearticle of footwear is disclosed as having a general configurationsuitable for walking or running. Concepts associated with the footwear,including the upper, may also be applied to a variety of other athleticfootwear types, including baseball shoes, basketball shoes,cross-training shoes, cycling shoes, football shoes, tennis shoes,soccer shoes, and hiking boots, for example. The concepts may also beapplied to footwear types that are generally considered to benon-athletic, including dress shoes, loafers, sandals, and work boots.The concepts disclosed herein apply, therefore, to a wide variety offootwear types.

General Footwear Structure

An article of footwear 10 is depicted in FIGS. 1-3 as including a solestructure 20 and an upper 30. For reference purposes, footwear 10 may bedivided into three general regions: a forefoot region 11, a midfootregion 12, and a heel region 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Footwear 10also includes a lateral side 14 and a medial side 15. Forefoot region 11generally includes portions of footwear 10 corresponding with the toesand the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfootregion 12 generally includes portions of footwear 10 corresponding withthe arch area of the foot, and heel region 13 corresponds with rearportions of the foot, including the calcaneus bone. Lateral side 14 andmedial side 15 extend through each of regions 11-13 and correspond withopposite sides of footwear 10. Regions 11-13 and sides 14-15 are notintended to demarcate precise areas of footwear 10. Rather, regions11-13 and sides 14-15 are intended to represent general areas offootwear 10 to aid in the following discussion. In addition to footwear10, regions 11-13 and sides 14-15 may also be applied to sole structure20, upper 30, and individual elements thereof.

Sole structure 20 is secured to upper 30 and extends between the footand the ground when footwear 10 is worn. The primary elements of solestructure 20 are a midsole 21, an outsole 22, and an sockliner 23.Midsole 21 is secured to a lower surface of upper 30 and may be formedfrom a compressible polymer foam element (e.g., a polyurethane orethylvinylacetate foam) that attenuates ground reaction forces (i.e.,provides cushioning) when compressed between the foot and the groundduring walking, running, or other ambulatory activities. In furtherconfigurations, midsole 21 may incorporate fluid-filled chambers,plates, moderators, or other elements that further attenuate forces,enhance stability, or influence the motions of the foot, or midsole 21may be primarily formed from a fluid-filled chamber. Outsole 22 issecured to a lower surface of midsole 21 and may be formed from awear-resistant rubber material that is textured to impart traction.Sockliner 23 is located within upper 30 and is positioned to extendunder a lower surface of the foot. Although this configuration for solestructure 20 provides an example of a sole structure that may be used inconnection with upper 30, a variety of other conventional ornonconventional configurations for sole structure 20 may also beutilized. Accordingly, the structure and features of sole structure 20or any sole structure utilized with upper 30 may vary considerably.

The various portions of upper 30 may be formed from one or more of aplurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheets, foamlayers, leather, synthetic leather) that are stitched or bonded togetherto form a void within footwear 10 for receiving and securing a footrelative to sole structure 20. The void is shaped to accommodate thefoot and extends along the lateral side of the foot, along the medialside of the foot, over the foot, around the heel, and under the foot.Access to the void is provided by an ankle opening 31 located in atleast heel region 13. A lace 32 extends through various lace apertures33 and permits the wearer to modify dimensions of upper 30 toaccommodate the proportions of the foot. More particularly, lace 32permits the wearer to tighten upper 30 around the foot, and lace 32permits the wearer to loosen upper 30 to facilitate entry and removal ofthe foot from the void (i.e., through ankle opening 31). As analternative to lace apertures 33, upper 30 may include otherlace-receiving elements, such as loops, eyelets, and D-rings. Inaddition, upper 30 includes a tongue 34 that extends between theinterior void and lace 32 to enhance the comfort of footwear 10. In someconfigurations, upper 30 may incorporate a heel counter that limits heelmovement in heel region 13 or a wear-resistant toe guard located inforefoot region 11.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, a lace region 16 and a lowerregion 17 are generally defined. Lace region 16 generally encompasses anarea where lace apertures 33 or other lace-receiving elements arelocated, and lower region 17 generally encompasses an area where upper30 joins with sole structure 20. Regions 16 and 17 are not intended todemarcate precise areas of footwear 10, including upper 30. Rather,regions 16 and 17 are intended to represent general areas to aid in thefollowing discussion.

Strand Configuration

Although a variety of material elements or other components may beincorporated into upper 30, areas of one or both of lateral side 14 andmedial side 15 incorporate various first strands 41 and second strands42 that extend downward from the various lace apertures 33. Moregenerally, strands 41 and 42 extend from lace region 16 to lower region17. Although the number of strands 41 and 42 may vary significantly,FIGS. 1 and 2 depict two first strands 41 and two second strands 42extending downward from each lace aperture 33 and toward sole structure20. Whereas first strands 41 are oriented in a generally verticaldirection in an area between lace apertures 33 and sole structure 20,second strands 42 are oriented in a rearwardly-angled direction in thearea between lace apertures 33 and sole structure 20. As discussed ingreater detail below, these orientations for strands 41 and 42 assistwith cutting motions (i.e., side-to-side movements of the wearer) andbraking motions (i.e., slowing the forward momentum of the wearer).

When incorporated into upper 30, strands 41 and 42 may be locatedbetween a base layer 43 and a cover layer 44, as depicted in FIG. 3.Whereas base layer 43 forms a surface of the void within upper 30, coverlayer 44 forms a portion of an exterior or exposed surface of upper 30.The combination of first strands 41, second strands 42, base layer 43,and cover layer 44 may, therefore, form substantially all of a thicknessof upper 30 in some areas. Although layers 43 and 44 may be joined toeach other in some locations, layers 43 and 44 are often unsecured toeach other in areas where strands 41 and 42 are located (e.g., betweenregions 16 and 17). Also, strands 41 and 42 may be unsecured to layers43 and 44 in some areas (e.g., between regions 16 and 17). In thisconfiguration, strands 41 and 42 are loosely located between layers 43and 44. An advantage to a configuration wherein strands 41 and 42 areloose between layers 43 and 44 is that each of strands 41 and 42 maytension, bend, move, or otherwise operate in a generally independentmanner within footwear 10.

During activities that involve walking, running, or other ambulatorymovements (e.g., cutting, braking), a foot within the void in footwear10 may tend to stretch upper 30. That is, many of the material elementsforming upper 30 may stretch when placed in tension by movements of thefoot. Although strands 41 and 42 may also stretch, strands 41 and 42generally stretch to a lesser degree than the other material elementsforming upper 30 (e.g., base layer 43 and cover layer 44). Each ofstrands 41 and 42 may be located, therefore, to form structuralcomponents in upper 30 that (a) resist stretching in specific directionsor locations, (b) limit excess movement of the foot relative to solestructure 20 and upper 30, (c) ensure that the foot remains properlypositioned relative to sole structure 20 and upper 30, and (d) reinforcelocations where forces are concentrated.

First strands 41 extend between lace apertures 33 and sole structure 20(i.e., between regions 16 and 17) to resist stretch in themedial-lateral direction (i.e., in a direction extending around upper30). Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, first strands 41 are oriented in agenerally vertical direction in an area between lace apertures 33 andsole structure 20. Although sides 14 and 15 of upper 30 may bulge,protrude, or otherwise extend outward to form a somewhat curved surface,first strands 41 have a generally vertical orientation and follow arelatively short path between lace apertures 33 and sole structure 20.When performing a cutting motion (i.e., side-to-side movement of thewearer), first strands 41 resist sideways movement of the foot to ensurethat the foot remains properly positioned relative to footwear 10. Thatis, first strands 41 resist stretch in upper 30 that may otherwise allowthe foot to roll off of sole structure 20. Accordingly, first strands 41resist stretch in upper 30 due to cutting motions and ensure that thefoot remains properly positioned relative to footwear 10.

Second strands 42 are oriented in a rearwardly-angled direction in thearea between lace apertures 33 and sole structure 20 (i.e., betweenregions 16 and 17). When performing a braking motion (i.e., slowing theforward momentum of the wearer), second strands 42 resist stretch inupper 30 that may allow the foot to slide forward or separate from solestructure 20. Second strands 42 also resist stretch in upper 30 due toflexing of footwear 10 in the area between forefoot region 11 andmidfoot region 12. Referring to FIG. 4, footwear 10 is depicted in aflexed configuration that occurs when the wearer is jumping or running,for example. When flexed or bent in this manner, the heel area of thefoot may tend to separate from sole structure 20 or otherwise lift awayfrom the area where sole structure 20 is secured to upper 30. Therearwardly-angled orientation of second strands 41, however, ensure thatthe heel area of the foot remains properly positioned in upper 30 andrelative to sole structure 20. Accordingly, second strands 42 resiststretch in upper 30 due to braking motions, as well as jumping andrunning motions that flex or otherwise bend footwear 10.

First strands 41 are oriented in a generally vertical direction andsecond strands 41 are oriented in a rearwardly-angled direction in thearea between lace apertures 33 and sole structure 20. With regard tofirst strands 41, the upper portions of first strands 41 (i.e., theportions located proximal to lace apertures 33) are generally alignedwith the lower portions of first strands 41 (i.e., the portions locatedproximal to sole structure 20). In this configuration, the upperportions of first strands 41 are located at approximately the samedistance from a front of footwear 10 as the lower portions of firststrands 41. In this configuration also, a majority of first strands 41are wholly located in midfoot region 12. Although first strands 41 mayhave a vertical orientation, the angle of first strands 41 may also havea substantially vertical orientation between zero and fifteen degreesfrom vertical. As utilized herein, the term “substantially verticalorientation” and similar variants thereof is defined as an orientationwherein first strands 41 are oriented between zero and fifteen degreesfrom vertical when viewed from a side of footwear 10 (as in FIGS. 1 and2).

With regard to second strands 42, the upper portions of second strands42 (i.e., the portions located proximal to lace apertures 33) are offsetfrom the lower portions of second strands 42 (i.e., the portions locatedproximal to sole structure 20). In this configuration, the upperportions of second strands 42 are located closer to a front of footwear10 than the lower portions of first strands 41. In this configurationalso, a majority of second strands 42 extend from midfoot region 12 toheel region 13. Although the orientation of second strands 42 may vary,the angle of second strands 42 may be from between twenty to more thanseventy degrees from vertical.

Given the orientations and angles of strands 41 and 42 discussed above,the angle formed between strands 41 and 42 may range from twenty to morethan sixty degrees, for example. Whereas first strands 41 assist withcutting motions, second strands 42 assist with braking motions. In orderfor strands 41 and 42 to assist with these different motions, the angleformed between strands 41 and 42 may be large enough to counter orotherwise resist stretch in upper 20 associated with these motions.Although the angle formed between strands 41 and 42 may range fromtwenty to more than sixty degrees, the angle formed between strands 41and 42 will often be greater than 40 degrees in order to effectivelyassist with both cutting and braking motions.

As discussed in greater detail below, suitable materials for strands 41and 42 include various filaments, fibers, yarns, threads, cables, orropes that are formed from rayon, nylon, polyester, polyacrylic, silk,cotton, carbon, glass, aramids (e.g., para-aramid fibers and meta-aramidfibers), ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, liquid crystalpolymer, copper, aluminum, or steel, for example. Although strands 41and 42 may be formed from similar materials, second strands 42 may beformed to have a greater tensile strength than first strands 41. As anexample, strands 41 and 42 may be formed from the same material, but thethickness of second strands 42 may be greater than the thickness offirst strands 41 to impart greater tensile strength. As another example,strands 41 and 42 may be formed from different materials, with thetensile strength of the material forming second strands 42 being greaterthan the tensile strength of the material forming first strands 41. Therationale for this difference between strands 41 and 42 is that theforces induced in upper 30 during braking motions are often greater thanthe forces induced in upper 30 during cutting motions. In order toaccount for the differences in the forces from braking and cutting,strands 41 and 42 may exhibit different tensile strengths.

Various factors may affect the relative tensile strengths of strands 41and 42, including the size of footwear 10, the athletic activity forwhich footwear 10 is designed, and the degree to which layers 43 and 44stretch. Additionally, the tensile strengths of strands 41 and 42 maydepend upon (a) the number of strands 41 and 42 present in footwear 10or in an area of footwear 10, (b) the specific locations of individualstrands 41 and 42 or groups of strands 41 and 42, and (c) the materialsforming strands 41 and 42. Although variable, the tensile strength ofsecond strands 42 may range from fifty to more than three hundredpercent greater than the tensile strength of first strands 41. In orderto achieve different tensile strengths between strands 41 and 42,different materials or thicknesses of materials may be utilized forstrands 41 and 42, for example. As an example of suitable materials,first strands 41 may be formed from a bonded nylon 6.6 with a breakingor tensile strength of 3.1 kilograms and a weight of 45 tex (i.e., aweight of 45 grams per kilometer of material) and second strands 42 maybe formed from a bonded nylon 6.6 with a breaking or tensile strength of6.2 kilograms and a tex of 45. In this configuration, the tensilestrength of second strands 42 is one hundred percent greater than thetensile strength of first strands 41.

Tensile Strand Element

A tensile strand element 40 that may be incorporated into upper 30 isdepicted in FIG. 5. Additionally, a portion of element 40 is depicted ineach of FIGS. 6-8B. Element 40 may form, for example, a majority oflateral side 14. As a result, element 40 has a configuration that (a)extends from upper to lower areas of lateral side 14 and through each ofregions 11-13, (b) defines the various lace apertures 33 in lateral side14, and (c) forms both an interior surface (i.e., the surface thatcontacts the foot or a sock worn by the foot when footwear 10 is worn)and an exterior surface (i.e., an outer, exposed surface of footwear10). A substantially similar element may also be utilized for medialside 15. In some configurations of footwear 10, element 40 may onlyextend through a portion of lateral side 14 (e.g., limited to midfootregion 12) or may be expanded to form a majority of lateral side 14 andmedial side 15. That is, a single element having the generalconfiguration of element 40 and including strands 41 and 42 and layers43 and 44 may extend through both lateral side 14 and medial side 15. Inother configurations, additional elements may be joined to element 40 toform portions of lateral side 14.

Base layer 43 and cover layer 44 lay adjacent to each other, withstrands 41 and 42 being loosely positioned between layers 43 and 44.Strands 41 and 42 lie adjacent to a surfaces of layers 43 and 44 andsubstantially parallel to the surfaces of layers 43 and 44. As discussedabove, strands 41 and 42 form structural components in upper 30 thatresist stretch. By being substantially parallel to the surfaces of baselayer 43 and cover layer 44, strands 41 and 42 resist stretch indirections that correspond with the surfaces of layers 43 and 44.Although strands 41 and 42 may extend through base layer 43 (e.g., as aresult of stitching) in some locations, areas where strands 41 and 42extend through base layer 43 may permit stretch, thereby reducing theoverall ability of strands 41 and 42 to limit stretch. As a result, eachof strands 41 and 42 generally lie adjacent to the surfaces of layers 43and 44 and substantially parallel to the surfaces for distances of atleast twelve millimeters, and may lie adjacent to the surfacesthroughout distances of five centimeters or more.

Base layer 43 and cover layer 44 are depicted as being coextensive witheach other. That is, layers 43 and 44 may have the same shape and size,such that edges of base layer 43 correspond and are even with edges ofcover layer 44. In some manufacturing processes, (a) strands 41 and 42are located upon base layer 43, (b) cover layer 44 is placed over baselayer 43 and strands 41 and 42, and (c) element 40 is cut from thiscombination to have the desired shape and size, thereby forming commonedges for base layer 43 and cover layer 44. In this process, ends ofstrands 41 and 42 may also extend to edges of layers 43 and 44.Accordingly, edges of layers 43 and 44, as well as ends of strands 41and 42, may all be positioned at edges of element 40.

As discussed above, layers 43 and 44 may be joined to each other in somelocations, and layers 43 and 44 are often unsecured to each other inareas where strands 41 and 42 are located (e.g., between regions 16 and17). Referring to FIG. 5, for example, edges of layers 43 and 44 may besecured to each other around the perimeter of element 40, including inlace region 16 and lower region 17. In areas that are spaced inward fromthe edges, including the area between regions 16 and 17, layers 43 and44 may be unsecured to each other. Additionally, strands 41 and 42 maybe secured to one or both of layers 43 and 44 in regions 16 and 17, butare unsecured to layers 43 and 44 in the area between regions 16 and 17.That is, strands 41 and 42 are loosely located between layers 43 and 44in the area between regions 16 and 17. As noted above, an advantage to aconfiguration wherein strands 41 and 42 are loose between layers 43 and44 is that each of strands 41 and 42 may tension, bend, move, orotherwise operate in a generally independent manner within footwear 10.

Although strands 41 and 42 may be secured to portions of layers 43 and44 (e.g., in either of regions 16 and 17), strands 41 and 42 areunsecured for a distance of at least five centimeters in the areabetween lace region 16 and lower region 17. By forming element 40 in amanner that loosely-positions strands 41 and 42 between layers 43 and 44for a distance of at least five centimeters, strands 41 and 42 havesufficient freedom to tension, bend, move, or otherwise operate in agenerally independent manner within footwear 10. In the area betweenregions 16 and 17, layers 43 and 44 are also unsecured to each other. Inorder to further provide freedom for strands 41 and 42, layers 43 and 44may be unsecured to each other in an area measuring at least fivecentimeters by five centimeters. That is, layers 43 and 44 may from anunsecured area measuring at least five centimeters by five centimeters,with strands 41 and 42 being unsecured to layers 43 and 44 in thisunsecured area. An advantage to this configuration is that many strands41 and 42 may pass through the unsecured area between layers 43 and 44.

Each of base layer 43 and cover layer 44 may be formed from anygenerally two-dimensional material. As utilized with respect to thepresent invention, the term “two-dimensional material” or variantsthereof is intended to encompass generally flat materials exhibiting alength and a width that are substantially greater than a thickness.Accordingly, suitable materials for base layer 43 and cover layer 44include various textiles, polymer sheets, or combinations of textilesand polymer sheets, for example. Textiles are generally manufacturedfrom fibers, filaments, or yarns that are, for example, either (a)produced directly from webs of fibers by bonding, fusing, orinterlocking to construct non-woven fabrics and felts or (b) formedthrough a mechanical manipulation of yarn to produce a woven or knittedfabric. The textiles may incorporate fibers that are arranged to impartone-directional stretch or multi-directional stretch, and the textilesmay include coatings that form a breathable and water-resistant barrier,for example. The polymer sheets may be extruded, rolled, or otherwiseformed from a polymer material to exhibit a generally flat aspect.Two-dimensional materials may also encompass laminated or otherwiselayered materials that include two or more layers of textiles, polymersheets, or combinations of textiles and polymer sheets. In addition totextiles and polymer sheets, other two-dimensional materials may beutilized for layers 43 and 44. Although two-dimensional materials mayhave smooth or generally untextured surfaces, some two-dimensionalmaterials will exhibit textures or other surface characteristics, suchas dimpling, protrusions, ribs, or various patterns, for example.Despite the presence of surface characteristics, two-dimensionalmaterials remain generally flat and exhibit a length and a width thatare substantially greater than a thickness. In some configurations, meshmaterials or perforated materials may be utilized for either or both oflayers 43 and 44 to impart greater breathability or air permeability.

First strands 41 and second strands 42 may be formed from any generallyone-dimensional material. As utilized with respect to the presentinvention, the term “one-dimensional material” or variants thereof isintended to encompass generally elongate materials exhibiting a lengththat is substantially greater than a width and a thickness. Accordingly,suitable materials for strands 41 and 42 include various filaments,fibers, yarns, threads, cables, or ropes that are formed from rayon,nylon, polyester, polyacrylic, silk, cotton, carbon, glass, aramids(e.g., para-aramid fibers and meta-aramid fibers), ultra high molecularweight polyethylene, liquid crystal polymer, copper, aluminum, andsteel. Whereas filaments have an indefinite length and may be utilizedindividually as strands 41 and 42, fibers have a relatively short lengthand generally go through spinning or twisting processes to produce astrand of suitable length. An individual filament utilized in strands 41and 42 may be formed form a single material (i.e., a monocomponentfilament) or from multiple materials (i.e., a bicomponent filament).Similarly, different filaments may be formed from different materials.As an example, yarns utilized as strands 41 and 42 may include filamentsthat are each formed from a common material, may include filaments thatare each formed from two or more different materials, or may includefilaments that are each formed from two or more different materials.Similar concepts also apply to threads, cables, or ropes. The thicknessof strands 41 and 42 may also vary significantly to range from less than0.03 millimeters to more than 5 millimeters, for example. Althoughone-dimensional materials will often have a cross-section where widthand thickness are substantially equal (e.g., a round or squarecross-section), some one-dimensional materials may have a width that isgreater than a thickness (e.g., a rectangular, oval, or otherwiseelongate cross-section). Despite the greater width, a material may beconsidered one-dimensional if a length of the material is substantiallygreater than a width and a thickness of the material. As discussed aboveas an example, first strands 41 may be formed from a bonded nylon 6.6with a breaking or tensile strength of 3.1 kilograms and a weight of 45tex and second strands 42 may be formed from a bonded nylon 6.6 with abreaking or tensile strength of 6.2 kilograms and a tex of 45.

As examples, base layer 43 may be formed from a textile material andcover layer 44 may be formed from a polymer sheet that is bonded to thetextile material, or each of layers 43 and 44 may be formed from polymersheets that are bonded to each other. In circumstances where base layer43 is formed from a textile material, cover layer 44 may incorporatethermoplastic polymer materials that bond with the textile material ofbase layer 43. That is, by heating cover layer 44, the thermoplasticpolymer material of cover layer 44 may bond with the textile material ofbase layer 43. As an alternative, a thermoplastic polymer material mayinfiltrate or be bonded with the textile material of base layer 43 inorder to bond with cover layer 44. That is, base layer 43 may be acombination of a textile material and a thermoplastic polymer material.An advantage of this configuration is that the thermoplastic polymermaterial may rigidify or otherwise stabilize the textile material ofbase layer 43 during the manufacturing process of element 40, includingportions of the manufacturing process involving laying strands 41 and 42upon base layer 43. Another advantage of this configuration is that abacking layer (see backing layer 48 in FIG. 10D) may be bonded to baselayer 43 opposite cover layer 44 using the thermoplastic polymermaterial in some configurations. This general concept is disclosed inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/180,235, which was filed in the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office on 25 Jul. 2008 and entitled CompositeElement With A Polymer Connecting Layer, such prior application beingentirely incorporated herein by reference.

Based upon the above discussion, element 40 generally includes twolayers 43 and 44 with strands 41 and 42 located loosely between.Although strands 41 and 42 may be secured to one of layers 43 and 44,strands 41 and 42 generally lie adjacent to surfaces of layers 43 and 44and substantially parallel to the surfaces layers 43 and 44 for morethan twelve millimeters and even more than five millimeters. Whereas avariety of one dimensional materials may be used for strands 41 and 42,one or more two dimensional materials may be used for layers 43 and 44.

Further Footwear Configurations

The orientations, locations, and quantity of strands 41 and 42 in FIGS.1 and 2 are intended to provide an example of a suitable configurationfor footwear 10. In other configurations of footwear 10, various strands41 and 42 may be absent, or additional strands 41 and 42 may be presentto provide further structural components in footwear 10. In FIGS. 1 and2, two first strands 41 and two second strands 42 are associated witheach lace aperture 33. Referring to FIG. 9A, a single cutting strand 41and braking strand 42 extends outward from each lace apertures 33. Aconfiguration wherein three first strands 41 and second strands 42 areassociated with each lace aperture 33 is depicted in FIG. 9B. Althoughthe same number of strands 41 and 42 may be associated with each laceaperture 33, FIG. 9C depicts a configuration wherein two first strands41 and one braking strand 42 extends from each lace aperture 33.Moreover, the number of strands 41 and 42 may vary among the variouslace apertures 33, as depicted in FIG. 9D, or some lace apertures 33 maynot be associated with strands 41 and 42, as depicted in FIG. 9E.Accordingly, the number of strands 41 and 42 may vary considerably.

In the various configurations discussed above, strands 41 and 42 extendfrom lace apertures 33. Although strands 41 and 42 may contact or be inclose relation to lace apertures 33, strands 41 and 42 may also extendfrom areas that are proximal to lace apertures 33. Referring to FIG. 9F,for example, upper portions of strands 41 and 42 are located between orto the side of lace apertures 33. Although strands 41 and 42cooperatively provide a suitable system for footwear 10, additionalstrands may also be present in footwear 10. For example, FIG. 9G depictsvarious longitudinal strands 45 as extending between forefoot region 11and heel region 13. In the various configurations discussed above, firststrands 41 are generally parallel to each other and second strands 42are generally parallel to each other. Referring to FIG. 9H, however,first strands 41 angle with respect to each other and second strands 42angle with respect to each other. Although strands 41 and 42 maygenerally be linear, a configuration wherein portions of strands 41 and42 are wavy or otherwise non-linear is depicted in FIG. 9I. As discussedabove, strands 41 and 42 may resist stretch in upper 30, but thenon-linear areas of strands 41 and 42 may allow some stretch in upper30. As strands 41 and 42 straighten due to the stretch, however, strands41 and 42 may then resist stretch in upper 30.

Footwear 10 is disclosed as having a general configuration suitable forwalking or running. Concepts associated with footwear 10, may also beapplied to a variety of other athletic footwear types. As an example,FIG. 9J depicts footwear 10 as having the configuration of a basketballshoe.

Various aspects relating to strands 41 and 42 and layers 43 and 44 inFIG. 3 are intended to provide an example of a suitable configurationfor footwear 10. In other configurations of footwear 10, additionallayers or the positions of strands 41 and 42 with respect to layers 43and 44 may vary. Referring to FIG. 10A, cover layer 44 is absent suchthat at least strands 42 are exposed on an exterior of upper 30.Referring to FIG. 10B, layers 43 and 44 are secured to each otherbetween strands 42. In another configuration, depicted in FIG. 10C,additional layers 46 and 47 are located to form an interior portion ofupper 30 that is adjacent to the void. Although layers 46 and 47 may beformed from various materials, layer 46 may be a polymer foam layer thatenhances the overall comfort of footwear 10 and layer 47 may be amoisture-wicking textile that removes perspiration or other moisturefrom the area immediately adjacent to the foot. Referring to FIG. 10D,an additional set of strands 42 is located on an opposite side of baselayer 43, with a backing layer 48 extending over the additional set ofstrands 42. This configuration may arise when an embroidery process isutilized to locate strands 41 and 42.

A tensile element 50 that may be utilized in place of strands 41 and 42is depicted in FIG. 11. Tensile element 50 is formed from two joinedpolymer members. One of the polymer members forms a plurality of firststrands 51, and the other polymer member forms a plurality of secondstrands 52. Moreover, the polymer members are joined to form the variouslace apertures 33. Accordingly, structures other than strands 41 and 42may be utilized to assist with cutting motions and braking motions.

The running style or preferences of an individual may also determine theorientations, locations, and quantity of strands 41 and 42. For example,some individuals may have a relatively high degree of pronation (i.e.,an inward roll of the foot), and having a different configuration ofstrands 41 and 42 may reduce the degree of pronation. Some individualsmay also prefer greater stretch resistance during cutting and braking,and footwear 10 may be modified to include further strands 41 and 42 ordifferent orientations of strands 41 and 42 on both sides 14 and 15.Some individuals may also prefer that upper 30 fit more snugly, whichmay require adding more strands 41 and 42 throughout upper 30.Accordingly, footwear 10 may be customized to the running style orpreferences of an individual through changes in the orientations,locations, and quantity of strands 41 and 42.

Manufacturing Method

A variety of methods may be utilized to manufacture upper 30 and,particularly, element 40. As an example, an embroidery process may beutilized to locate strands 41 and 42 relative to base layer 43. Oncestrands 41 and 42 are positioned, cover layer 44 may be placed over baselayer 43 and strands 41 and 42, thereby enclosing strands 41 and 42within element 40. As an alternative to an embroidery process, otherstitching processes may be utilized to locate strands 41 and 42 relativeto base layer 43, such as computer stitching. Additionally, processesthat involve winding strands 41 and 42 around pegs on a frame aroundbase layer 43 may be utilized to locate strands 41 and 42 over baselayer 43. In areas where strands 41 and 42 are secured to layers 43 and44, and in areas where layers 43 and 44 are secured to each other,stitching, adhesive bonding, thermobonding, or a variety of otherattachment techniques may be utilized. Accordingly, a variety of methodsmay be utilized to locate strands 41 and 42 relative to base layer 43.

CONCLUSION

The invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying figures withreference to a variety of configurations. The purpose served by thedisclosure, however, is to provide an example of the various featuresand concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of theinvention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerousvariations and modifications may be made to the configurations describedabove without departing from the scope of the present invention, asdefined by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An article of footwear having an upper anda sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising: a laceregion defining a plurality of lace-receiving elements; a lower regionwhere the sole structure is secured to the upper; and a plurality ofstrands extending from the lace region to the lower region, the strandsbeing secured to the upper in the lace region and the lower region, andthe strands being unsecured for a distance of at least five centimetersin an area between the lace region and the lower region; the upperfurther including a first layer and a second layer that each extend fromthe lace region to the lower region, the strands being located betweenthe first layer and the second layer through at least said distance ofat least five centimeters; wherein the strands include a first strandand a second strand, ends of the first strand and the second strandbeing proximal to each other in the lace region, and opposite ends ofthe first strand and the second strand being distally spaced from eachother in the lower region; and wherein the first layer and the secondlayer are unsecured to each other at portions corresponding to locationsof the strands and are secured to each other at portions located betweenthe strands.
 2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein thesecond layer comprises a base layer forming at least a portion of asurface within an interior of the upper.
 3. The article of footwearrecited in claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a cover layerforming a majority of an exterior surface of the upper.
 4. The articleof footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the second strand has greatertensile strength than the first strand.
 5. The article of footwearrecited in claim 1, wherein the upper consists of the first layer, thesecond layer, and the strands in at least a portion of the area betweenthe lace region and the lower region.
 6. The article of footwear recitedin claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the strands cross each otherin the area between the lace region and the lower region.
 7. The articleof footwear recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first layerand the second layer includes a textile material.
 8. The article offootwear recited in claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a polymersheet and the second layer comprises a textile material.
 9. The articleof footwear recited in claim 8, wherein the polymer sheet of the firstlayer and the textile material of the second layer are bonded to eachother at portions located between the strands.
 10. The article offootwear recited in claim 1, wherein the second layer includes a textilematerial and a thermoplastic polymer material.
 11. The article offootwear recited in claim 10, wherein the first layer and the secondlayer are bonded to each other at portions located between the strandswith the thermoplastic polymer material.